To: Rep_P.Defazio
From: reynolds@teleport.com
Subject: diplomatic stupidity
3/3/98
UNPUBLISHED
The US and Great Britain are playing into Saddam's hands by persisting in making hard-line statements and threats as we increase our military forces in the Middle East exponentially .
The present situation presents a real temptation for Saddam to stall just a bit and raise the costs for maintaining the US forces in readiness in the Persian Gulf. We have cost Iraq billions for seven years; now it is payback time.
If the US and GB object, and the provocation is not great, we face the dilemma of either undertaking a unilateral military attack or eating our words. The unilateral attack will destroy whatever credibility we have left in the Middle East and among the non-aligned nations. Either way, the cost of buying support among our "allies" will go up. _______JCR
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